Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1887-07-14
The Late Ben. Perley Poore.

hS IlAtC bCh. OOkcs
An Athens, Ga, correspondent writes
| the Louisville Courier Journal as fol-
lows: The death of Mai. Ben. Perley
Poore, the noted Washington CORES
pendent, recalls the fact that for time
he was resident of Georgia When
very young he was the editor of the
paper now known as the Athens Bais-
ner- WGtchmaR. He was preceded by
his father, who, at the time of his ar
| rival there, was a man on the shady
side of life. The senior Poores first
enterprise was the establishment of a
sheep farm on the hillsides of Rabun
county. After operating this industry
for yeer or two he finally settled in
Athens. A few months afterward
Ben. Perley Poore arrived from the
the north and took up his residence
with his father. About that time the
Southern Wing was in successful opera
ton there, its editor and proprietor
being James w. Jones. Jones was
anxious to have a wider field, and had
regarded the Augusta Chronicle with
favorable eyes. The purchase Of the
Chronicle was dependent upon the sale
of the Southern Whig. Jones finally
managed to sell the WHO to the
elder Poore for $40, 900, taking PORES
notes for the same, and, with these
notes discounted, he managed to pro-
cure sufficient money to enable him to
buy the Chronicle, of Augusta. When
the Southern Wb5g passed into the
elder PORES hands Ben. Perlev Poore
became its editor. At that time he
f.,,,. boi ,aj C,,ootb f,ooJ
ble-looking young man, few years
beyond his majority. Fresh from the
north, he entertained the views of his
section, and his treatment of the
negroes was from u northern stand
point, uninf1uenced by his southern
environment.
After holding the helm of the WHO
for year or two he lost caste with the
people by his connection with negro
ball. tits not definitely known whether
Poore gave the ball he attended or was
simply there as a spectator. 1t is gen
orally believed that he was present as
an interested spectator, as he was said
not to have participated in the amuse-
ment of the evening. 1t can be said
to his credit that he did not think he
was doing anything wrong, but this
experience was too much for the peo-
pie.
The indignation and feeling was
great. He was cut on the street. his
paper was refused by the subscribers,
and in few weeks Poore saw the best
thing he could do would be to get away,
and he got.
Ar old citizen of Athens states that
in conversation with Poore he ex-
pressed himself as surprised that the
people should look upon his con-
nection with the ball in such an un-
pleasant manner; that he honestly
thought he was not guilty of a social
improperly was apparent. Poore re-
scented his treatment by the people
Of Athens ever afterward. He spared
no opportunity to vent his spleen
against the town. He would never re-
fer to it when he could avoid it, and
years afterward, meeting people from
this city, he invariably conducted the
conversation SO as to create the I'M
preston that he was never u resident
there. He sold the Wing to an Episco-
pal minister named Flint, who III turn
disposed of the property to the late
L L
never returned to Athens. He did not
get all of the money from the sale of
the paper. but he was SO outraged by
the treatment he had received that he
preferred losing the few dollars to
making u visit to get it. The few cit
zens living here who recoltect the man
speak Of INN pleasantly. He is repre-
sented to have been an amiabie, pleas
ant sort of man, giving no promise of
ability OF influence. He was not re-
ceived upon terms of social equality.
II 5 standing in the town before the
ball episode was but moderate. The
men did not object to his associating
with him, but he was seldom or never
invited to the homes of the people.
After the ball e1perience.his standing,
small Us it was, was irrevocably gone,
and no one had anything to DO with him
except where it WAS necessary iii the
transaction of business.